The Heiress (1949, William Wyler) (Patreon)

80/100

Second viewing, last seen 1995. Man, this is just brutal—arguably more so than its source (meaning James, not the play; I know only the former), which concludes with polite resolve rather than ice-cold retribution. "How is it possible to protect such a willing victim?" Dr. Sloper wonders aloud at one point, ultimately deciding that only an act of deliberate cruelty will suffice; Richardson does a magnificent job of subtly delineating the difference between love and respect, creating a portrait of a man who genuinely and correctly seeks to protect his daughter but can't perceive that the cure will be more destructive than the ostensible disease. (Crucially, Aunt Lavinia is under no illusions about Townsend's character but supports the marriage anyway because she knows it will make Catherine happy.) De Havilland's performance, on the other hand, strikes me as a bit too neatly bisected—Catherine becomes an entirely different person following her double bereavement, to the point where it almost looks as if the role has been taken over by somebody else. There's meant to be a dramatic personality shift, obviously, but De Havilland pushes it past scorched earth into good/evil twin territory; I'd have preferred to see at least a remnant of Catherine's prior nature survive. Still incredibly bracing, and Wyler deserves more credit as a formalist than I've generally given him. The shot of Dr. Sloper silently crossing the room as Catherine works on her needlepoint, reflected in a mirror behind her so that their images remain adjacent even as he walks further and further away, emphasizing distance and proximity in tandem, is a real jaw-dropper.